Currents in Religion

In this episode, guest host João Chaves speaks with Ronilso Pacheco about Samuel Sharpe's libertarian and anti-slavery preaching.

Ronilso Pacheco is the Jackson Scholar of Latin American Studies, director of programming at the Instituto de Estudos da Religião (Brazil). He is also a Ford Global Fellow.

João Chaves is the Assistant Professor of the History of Religion in the Américas at Baylor University and one of the Co-Directors of the Baptist Scholars International Roundtable.

Previous BSIR-related Episodes

• Around the Table: David Goatley and Brad Creed – https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Ix2UztGrdZXAs5xspNfSs?si=aPtZDaSuS5eHPLgvet3Hkw
• Christian Nationalism in the Americas – https://open.spotify.com/episode/5Zg9lJjGr2sA581pfQosv5?si=a2PoaTJXQ3WPIkjO7lmqeg
• Baptists, Scholarship, and God's Kingdom: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0qABw70AEevYv9OwXDtDMY?si=HpDDb9FUSxqWtePU5p0Y6A

Other Relevant Episodes

• A Study in How Migration Shapes Religion: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5jU3HPamZEcFvHRq0Wq4TV?si=TZn61_d2R-6CbtpbclDDmQ
• Black Baptist Leaders, Race Literature, and the Salvation of America: https://open.spotify.com/episode/53a29CcqwmRtcCupJlduvW?si=7wRPvIIgRb-55l9WKJDIWA
• Black Contemplative Preaching: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Nf1w59GeWEtLstDRerk9t?si=SLj07DpjSrSfydaOXUxX7A

Episode Summary

In this episode, Zen speaks with Rachel Toombs about her Baylor University Press book, Good News Resounding, which is available to pre-order now. This book includes contributions from an wonderful group of scholars and artists, including works of academic prose, poetry, creative nonfiction, and visual art. It offers the reader glimpses of the beautiful world of theology and literature.

But the book tells a story, a story about a scholarly life well lived. One that included not only careful reading and thinking, but careful mentoring. The book is a festschrift honoring the career of Ralph Wood, the Baylor University Emeritus Professor of Theology and Literature. In our conversation, Rachel reflects on her experience as one of Ralph’s students. It made me once again grateful for mentors in my own life—and led me to reflect on what it means to be both a good student and a good teacher.

Guest Bio

Rachel Toombs earned her PhD from Baylor University. She has written on Flannery O’Connor and Hebrew narrative and has a recently published book with Baker Academic called Reading the First Five Books: The Invitation of the Pentateuch’s Stories (https://bakeracademic.com/p/Reading-the-First-Five-Books-Rachel-Toombs/579875). Rachel has recently been called to serve as assistant professor of Old Testament at Church Divinity School of the Pacific.

Related Episodes

• Natalie Carnes on feminist theology and the arts: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0lJKY9SBaJBWZZuAurvGAm?si=bW5TRgafTVuEFDMzygomOg
• Picturing Ecclesiastes with Menachem Fisch and Debra Band: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6B0Z4z3RrEpzD6mNeXFwUj?si=R8yF8K8fQJ-4TRp-k-9V2Q
• Disaster and Desire with Micheal O'Siadhail: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5CMlCkpKw7PhIoSGQEsUKs?si=r5j9NeBuSySMRxKOkIHyHA

Links

Good News Resounding: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481322539/good-news-resounding/

Reading the First Five Books: https://bakeracademic.com/p/Reading-the-First-Five-Books-Rachel-Toombs/579875

Episode Intro

In today’s episode, the Rev. Dr. Malcolm Foley joins us again to discuss his recently published book, The Anti-Greed Gospel: Why the Love of Money is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Create a New Way Forward (Brazos Press 2025). I can’t imagine a more relevant book for the church, given the intense economic anxiety that is so pervasive in America and beyond. I’m excited for you to hear from Malcolm about greed, racism, and how Christians might bear witness to the gospel economically.

About the Guest

The Rev. Dr. Malcolm earned his PhD from Baylor University’s Department of Religion. He serves as the Special Advisor to the President for Equity and Campus Engagement. He is also a pastor at Mosaic Waco, a gospel-centered, Spirit led, multicultural church in Waco, Texas.

Related Episodes & Links

1) Black Contemplative Preaching: https://open.spotify.com/episode/6Nf1w59GeWEtLstDRerk9t?si=B8jYkt3cTqCzQeBiJdsgRA

2) Theology, Ethics, and a Church in Conflict: https://open.spotify.com/episode/7DXKtwkSWGOMhkLQKuMqUp?si=agjg4IPGTCuNhiEBUzzxUA

3) The Cross and the Lynching Tree: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3BVgyMhmm49BhRWLh3HoYt?si=rUno3OOzQlO_LKqBalMFhA

Malcolm's book: https://bakerpublishinggroup.com/books/the-anti-greed-gospel/419161

Rebecca "Becky" Copeland's book: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481321426/entangled-being/

In this episode, Zen speaks with Melody Escobar about her new book Revelations of Divine Care (Baylor University Press: 2024). You can learn more about the book at this link: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481320559/revelations-of-divine-care/

Melody Escobar is a research associate with the Collaborative on Faith and Disability in the Baylor Center for Developmental Disabilities at Baylor University.

Other Episodes You Might Like

In this episode, Laine Scales guest hosts a conversation with David Goatley and Brad Creed about the Baptist Scholars International Roundtable. They discuss recent research emerging from the Roundtable as well as how the Roundtable cultivates an international, intergenerational, and interdisciplinary community of scholarship through intentional mentoring.

David Goatley is the sixth president of Fuller Theological Seminary. He is a constructive theologian and globally recognized missiologist with a background in pastoral counseling.

J. Bradley Creed is the fifth president of Campbell University. He is an accomplished leader of mission-driven institutions and a scholar and historian of religion.

Laine Scales is Professor of Social Work at Baylor University and a co-director of the Baptist Scholars International Roundtable.

In this episode, Zen speaks with Leah Lomotey-Nakon, one of the newest faculty members in Baylor's Religion Department. Leah shares some of her story and discusses her research on religion and reproductive health.

Learn more about Dr. Lomotey-Nakon here: https://religion.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/person/leah-lomotey-nakon-phd

Other Episodes You Might Like

In this episode, Zen speaks with Christopher Seitz about his new book The Heights of the Hills are His Also.

Learn more about the book here: https://www.baylorpress.com/9781481322454/the-heights-of-the-hills-are-his-also/

Other Episodes You Might Like

In this episode, Zen speaks with Sameer Yadav, one of Baylor's newest religion faculty. The son of Indian immigrants, Sameer was raised in a Hindu home in rural Idaho. His childhood experiences of religion are the beginning of Sameer's story of becoming a theologian. Hear more about his journey in this episode. Listen until the end to hear Sameer discuss whether mysticism has a place in Christian higher education today.

Learn more about Sameer at his faculty page: https://religion.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/person/sameer-yadav-phd

Other episodes you might like:

In this episode, Zen speaks with John Duncan about teaching introductory courses on the Bible and church history. The discussion includes reflections on the challenges of teaching courses like these, such as navigating issues raised by having students of various faith backgrounds in the room. John also offers strategies and examples of in-class activities he uses to teach the class.

Learn more about John by visiting his Baylor faculty profile: https://religion.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/person/john-duncan-phd

Other Episodes You Might Like

In this episode, João Chaves joins as guest host, facilitating a conversation with guests Felipe Hinojosa and Stephen Di Trolio. They discuss Christian nationalism, the colonial history of Christian nationalism, and the impact histories of Christian nationalism have on the church today.

This episode is a special collaboration with the Baptist Scholars International Roundtable. Learn more about the Roundtable here: https://religion.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/affiliated-programs/baptist-studies-center-research/baptist-scholars-international-roundtable-4

Learn more about the guests at their respective academic pages:

João Chaves: https://religion.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/person/joao-chaves-phd

Felipe Hinojosa: https://history.artsandsciences.baylor.edu/person/felipe-hinojosa

Stephen Di Trolio: https://ptsem.edu/profiles/stephen-r-di-trolio/

Other Episodes You Might Like:

• Studying Evangelicalism with Leslie Garrote: https://open.spotify.com/episode/61dadOXmU40hMxjljYYDfp?si=Kn_DELYsTRiZDq6p-q7OZg
• Baptists, Scholarship, and God's Kingdom with Laine Scales and João Chaves: https://open.spotify.com/episode/0qABw70AEevYv9OwXDtDMY?si=rjZO682BRCyHK-hAPvFSNw
• Hearing History with Mandy McMichael: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3mg7ciIUc4RjPnWxqhhmGr?si=8k_zbv_pSH2aL6tHxVvcew